For Better or Worse
by Pseudonym Sylphmuse
Summary: Hanajima Saki kidnaps Sohma Akito with unexpected results. AU
1. Kidnapped

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Title: For Better or Worse

****

Author: Pseudonym Sylphmuse

****

Rating: PG-13, R at most

****

Summary: Hanajima Saki kidnaps Sohma Akito with unexpected results. AU

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. If I did, do you think I would be writing this story?

****

Author's Notes: So people know, this will be strictly an alternative universe and therefore will _not_ adhere to the anime and manga although there _will_ be similarities. Many theories I will be using are inferences from the anime and manga. But also, many of it I'm fabricating for the sake of the story. I will try to avoid using Japanese words. The story begins around the time after Tohru finds out Kyou's true form and in the anime, meets Akito.

****

Warnings: There will be yuri (f/f) and yaoi (m/m) as well as hetero pairings in this story. You have been warned so don't complain or whine or whatever negative response you have to this. Don't read this story if you are offended by such pairings.

__

Italics for thoughts

****

Bold for emphasis

-...- for change of POV

****

Chapter I

Kidnapped

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This isn't going well.

When Saki had decided rather abruptly the week before that she was going to kidnap Sohma Akito, she hadn't been thinking. Or rather, thinking about the numerous possibilities that would easily foil her kidnapping scheme. But then, she rarely ever thought or planned in the manner of normal humans.

In fact, she didn't. At all.

And so, now she was in a predicament previous and always, until now, been unknown to her.

Yet again, she thought, _This isn't going well._

It had been a piece of cake for the denpa to intercept the main Sohma family's grounds, only a matter of touch and go. And not even that. It took less than a second for her to will any would be guards within her radar, of give or take twenty feet, to sleep.

At first, she had had misgivings on using her… abilities, it had been so long since she'd used them and to this degree—in a kidnapping scheme no less! But since Megumi, her brother had assured her that their use of it would be for a good cause, she had quickly folded and made use of her skills.

As it is, she had after ascertaining that whatever would be rescuers there were, were either unconscious or in a deep, deep sleep, she relaxed. She hadn't gone too deeply into how much she had willed them asleep, but by her reasoning, however much sleep they would get would in the long run, probably be good for them. Hampered by what little physical prowess she had, the naturally pale and fragile looking kidnapping mastermind decided to take a leisurely stroll across the Sohma grounds. It was a perfect day for leisurely strolls and sightseeing, just enough sun to be warm and cheery without being agonizingly bright, not to mention the fluffily content social collection of pristine clouds that dotted the sky. All in all, a beautiful day though, to be perfectly honest, Saki was feeling a bit peaky and dizzy without her usual array of black umbrella and long sleeve black, sunshine-devouring dresses.

If any passersby had chanced to see this scene, they would have thought the vampire-like girl an odd sight in innocuous school uniform on such cheery grounds. On the other hand, it was one thing to be odd and quite another to be dangerous. They would have never thought her to be a potential kidnapper and therefore, danger to society.

Therefore, being potential witnesses and victims to Saki's awesome power of will—it is agreed that it is a good thing that there were no passersbys during the kidnapping of Sohma Akito by one Hanajima Saki.

Megumi appeared out of seemingly nowhere in the sunlight next to Saki stepping away from the tiny shadow of a bonsai tree.

Amended, the kidnapping of one Sohma Akito by Hanajima Saki and her assistant (as well as sibling) Megumi.

"I cursed the remaining household, one Sohma Hatori—he proved difficult."

The voice spoke in an eerie monotone characteristic of the two siblings. However by Saki's standards, Megumi and she were not at all similar even if they were the only ones in their family to have abnormal skills, or to wear black from neck to toe (unless forced by school auhorities into uniforms), or to speak in monotones that rarely ever showed emotion, or to have shadowy, bottomless black eyes and equally dark hair, or… well, you get the drift. Let it be known that Hanajima Saki and Hanajima Megumi were **nothing** alike.

Megumi stood still, head forward in repose though his eyes took in everything; the Sohma grounds, the lightly petal-sprinkled courtyard, the weather, the long ankle-length skirt his sister wore—with customary white uniform shirt and bowtie associated with the high school she attended, the silence of the grounds, everything.

"How so?"

"He wasn't completely human." Stated, as calmly as any normal person would say, 'The sun comes up every morning and goes down every night.'

Saki deliberated this and then quickly filed it away for further use. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

With only that confirmation, Saki began walking forward, with a short shadow trailing her, an unusual tail if there ever was one, towards a building separate from the others, conspicuous in its very in conspicuity. Her target was a figure hidden within its fold—Sohma Akito. As she came closer, she realized she needn't search for him, the one she needed to find. He was already… waiting if it could be called that for his kidnappers.

Unprecedented, was the knowledge that Sohma Akito was in fact not a he, but a she. It was a fortunate thing that Saki's denpa radar could tell her truth where her eyes could not.

"Who are you?" Snapped in a low tone, with a disinterested slur. "Where's Hatori?" Ignoring that Akito had never met anyone that was not a Sohma and not a Sohma he didn't know. Akito wasn't worried at all.

Saki took her time looking at the soon-to-be missing girl. A feminine, deathly pallid face with high cheekbones that stood out oddly against the angled lines of a face that met into a sharp chin. Unusual, because a trait that most women had were that of fullness, softness—it was why at first she thought Akito a boy. She avoided Akito's eyes, preferring to move on to the straight, arched nose that on any other person would give the look of a spoiled child, but on this face only completed the androgynous appearance of the girl. The soft mouth, the color of coral, pretty if it had not been twisted in a familiar cruel smirk—Saki had seen this expression on many girls she had encountered over the years. Like any of them, it revealed Sohma Akito to be vicious but not only that, to be someone carried away with arrogance and ego of having power, too much of it, at a young age and been allowed it for far too long to be wise.

This did nothing to sway Saki towards either discarding her kidnapping scheme or being gentle towards what she was about to do.

She felt her brother slip his hand into hers, a gentle assuage to her doubts, if there had been any – but it served to give her a measure of comfort and resolve. "Megumi…," she said, signaling her brother to begin.

Megumi brought a hand up to gently cup the pale of the girl in front of them. His fingers spread across the too pale skin in a mockery of a caress.

Akito flinched, raising a hand as if to strike him, only to freeze in mid-movement, eyes wide. Megumi's particular gift to curse needed only a name, but he had found, during his experimental years that it helped to strengthen the curse if he was in contact with his victim.

Clearly, Megumi chanted, his solemn voice that of a child going through the breaking years of adolescence, "Sohma Akito, by this hand of mine, Hanajima Megumi, from this point on will remember nothing of her past and present, of the people in it, or the circumstances that has made her who she is today. She is cursed by this hand of mine. She is cursed." He repeated it twice, the only clue to what he was doing were the streaks of indigo lightning that stretched from his fingers, branching across Akito's face. Only Saki had ever been able to see them, they were invisible to all others. The lines glowed fiercely - pulsating as Megumi murmured a last, "She is cursed," before vanishing.

It was her turn.

Saki stepped forward as Megumi stepped back to place a hand on Akito's other cheek. At her touch, Akito sighed, before falling limply against the ground. Megumi removed his hand and stood, watching his sister. Saki focused her attention upon the slackened, childlike face peaceful in rest as Akito had never been conscious. She gathered up the will and her special ability that in her mind were rooted in her heart and head, perhaps even her soul - a vortex of dark purple.

For an instant, she felt tremors of Akito's mind, blessedly blank of memories and then she slammed and fused her will against the crisscrossing lines of indigo that was her brother's curse enforcing the curse a hundred times over.

No one would be able to break the combined power of her brother and her. No one.

And that was enough for her. She was calm, especially so now that her deed was done.

"Saki, how are we going to move Akito?"

Saki moved to bring the unconscious Akito's arm up and found that it was futile to move the deadweight of the girl. It only served to make her tired and out of breath.

__

This isn't going well. Saki thought. It had been nothing for the team efforts of her brother and her to dispatch guards and knock every living human on the Sohma grounds unconscious, but they had run into a unique dilemma.

How were they going to move Sohma Akito?

-

Saki never asked anything of Uo but when she did, Uo hopped to it. Not only because Saki was her best friend, besides Tohru, but because Saki had never assumed anything of Uo, had never assumed just because they were friends Uo was supposed to adhere to certain "rules" as others had done, had never assumed that because they were friends, she owned Uo. And for that, Uo was grateful. Saki had always been there for her, when she was quitting her gang and patching up the shattered remains of her life, she had been there.

It was a change, a good change for once that Uo could do something for her. When she got a call from Saki asking for her to come to a house, in a place she'd never been before, she hopped to it. She'd run right off her shift at a nearby supermarket, still with uniform on, hopped on her bicycle and slammed the pedals, ignoring the panicked screams of innocent grocery-shoppers as she'd sped by them. They'd live after all. Maybe with a few years off their life, but they'd live.

But it was hard to contain her surprise at the wide expanse of traditional Japanese grounds or the every once in a while snoring person in the middle of a hallway, a walk, or even right in front of the small city, because it sure wasn't just a house!

And so, the first words out of her mouth when she met Saki, were, "Did you kill someone?" Pointedly she stared at the unconscious heap of person in a yukata that by anyone's standards was expensive, stupidly so. What kind of person wore a yukata? Unless for a special occasion and Uo knew there wasn't a special occasion anytime soon, until maybe, say, next month. Except the weird author guy that Tohru lived with. But he seemed harmless enough. Twitchy maybe. But harmless.

"I didn't kill anyone," Saki defended. "She's merely unconscious."

"She?" Before either Saki or Megumi could answer Uo said, "So what do you need me to do?"

"We need you to carry this girl for us." Megumi answered. With a side-long glance at Uo's uniform. "You're certainly looking as beautiful as ever. This uniform suits you. Accents your long legs, and you do have very nice legs, modestly round bottom, and over all hourglass figure."

"Are you sure he's twelve?" Uo asked, ignoring Megumi in favor Saki. "He sure doesn't speak like any twelve year old **I've** ever met."

"He's thirteen."

"Still…" Uo glanced at Megumi who was wearing an infuriatingly sweet smile while staring at her from his standpoint.

"He just thinks you're pretty."

"Beautiful," Megumi assured, emphasizing the syllables slyly.

Uo continued to ignore Megumi, in favor of grabbing the unconscious person's arm and swinging them up onto her back, piggy back style. "Anyway, where are we headed?"

"My house."

"We need to take the train to get to your house Saki."

"And?"

Uo rolled her eyes. No comprehension from this one. "I don't really want another confrontation with the police for carrying an unconscious person, who I did nothing to."

"So you have done something to someone that caused them to fall unconscious?"

"That's beside the point," Uo griped. "It was an accident. I hadn't meant to hit them so hard with a pole. They just pissed me off. And stop distracting me, how are we going to innocently show up on the train with a person who definitely ain't looking too good unconscious?"

Saki slowly blinked, looking innocent. "She's my cousin, weary because of her health from sightseeing Japan. Fortunately I met up with a friend who generously volunteered to carry her till we arrived home. Otherwise, my brother and I would have been stranded because neither he nor I are strong enough to carry someone the size of my dear cousin. Don't we look alike?"

"Alright, alright, I get it," muttered Uo. "Come on let's go, you and I'll walk, but Megumi would you ride my bicycle for me?"

"Anything you say Arisa," murmured Megumi bestowing Uo with another sickeningly sweet smile.

"He likes saying my name entirely too much for it to be a normal thing," Uo said walking at a moderate pace off the grounds with Saki to her right and behind her, a cheerful black void by the name of Megumi.

-

Good woman that she was, Saki's mother hadn't seemed at all surprised at the news that Saki was having a friend stay over. It would have been two friends but Uo had refused, saying she had business to attend to. Something about her part-time job and shifts and her manager.

Megumi had already retreated to his room to contemplate Uo's new outfit at the supermarket, the navy miniskirt skirt and striped blue and white shirt, underneath a gold apron with a humongous white duck on the front. It wasn't the best uniform, but it was certainly an interesting one. The store's name wasn't Japanese either, it was in English, _Quack, Quack_ Supermarket. Saki couldn't imagine what "quack, quack" meant.

She sighed, feeling content. For her first time, she didn't do too bad at kidnapping. Perhaps she should consider it as a career, she wasn't doing too good in high school and was failing in most of her classes. Her mother and father hadn't been too happy and had been depressed for months over her. But they had in due time regained their senses and admitted even with her special abilities, Saki plainly wasn't gifted in the area of academics.

The figure in her bed snuffled, before settling down. Saki turned her mind to other matters as she changed into her pajamas. Sohma Akito looked around her size, and most of Saki's clothes contained spandex, so they could stretch to fit Akito's slightly larger frame. But for now, Saki took out a pair of pajamas she had recently bought that were loose on her and therefore probably a good size for Akito.

Quietly, she untied the band around the yukata and eased it off of the sleeping figure. She blinked. Akito wasn't wearing any undergarments. That would have to be remedied, she went to her drawers, which unlike most people thought did not contain all black clothes, it contained half black and half dark purple, with a few white clothes—mainly undergarments. She took these out and quickly, with the ease of a nurse, put them and the pajamas on Akito.

She walked backwards a few steps to look at her "patient". Akito didn't look as pale anymore wearing the muted violet long sleeved shirt and loose pants, trimmed along the sleeves and bottoms with black lace - courtesy of Saki's sewing skills. The pink mouth in sleep showed none of the cruelty Saki had seen before, though perhaps it was because Akito was asleep, or perhaps it was because Akito had no memories of the her past life anymore. Akito's mouth eased open, sighing, lips looking soft.

Saki reluctantly turned her attention to Akito's face, which had lost most of its hauteur, and instead only showed a thread of pride and weariness. The sharp lines along Akito's jaw had softened leaving an image of innocence and there was a hint of sensuality along the curve of Akito's neck and shoulders, which were round and rather pleasing to Saki's eye. She swallowed, and turned her face towards the lamp on her desk, switching it off throwing her room into perpetual darkness. Slipping under her white coverlet, she turned on her side to face Akito, the sounds of breathing which she hadn't heard with the light on were very much **there** in the dark.

It was almost comforting. It was almost pleasant.

For better or worse, Sohma Akito had been kidnapped by one Hanajima Saki. For better or worse. But at the moment, in the peace of the night, where everything was possible, it seemed as if it was for the better.

Saki's eyes closed and she lost all thought to sleep.

A/N: A few explanations for those of you who haven't read till Volume 9 of Fruits Baskets. When I speak of the fondness Megumi has of Arisa, it's a play on how he acts in Volume 9 when he's sitting at a restaurant with Hana and Tohru - with Uo serving them in a skirt. He comments on how good she looks in it and in return Uo says he speaks like an old lecher rather than a twelve/thirteen-year-old boy. Also, Sohma Akito is female, although this is not revealed or hinted at in the anime, it is revealed in the manga.


	2. What Happens After

****

Title: For Better or Worse

****

Author: Pseudonym Sylphmuse

****

Rating: PG-13, R at most

****

Summary: Hanajima Saki kidnaps Sohma Akito with unexpected results. AU

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. If I did, do you think I would be writing this story?

****

Author's Notes: So people know, this will be strictly an alternative universe and therefore will _not_ adhere to the anime and manga although there _will_ be similarities. Many theories I will be using are inferences from the anime and manga. But also, many of it I'm fabricating for the sake of the story. I will try to avoid using Japanese words. The story begins around the time after Tohru finds out Kyou's true form and in the anime, meets Akito.

****

Warnings: There will be yuri (f/f) and yaoi (m/m) as well as hetero pairings in this story. You have been warned so don't complain or whine or whatever negative response you have to this. Don't read this story if you are offended by such pairings.

__

Italics for thoughts

****

Bold for emphasis

-...- for change of POV

****

Chapter II

What Happens After

"Akito's gone."

"What?" Shigure's voice revealed his incredulity and if Hatori hadn't been sure himself of his news, he would have been just as incredulous if not outright doubtful. There was a pause and then: "I'll be at the Main House soon." The phone line clicked and went dead. Hatori was left with the nauseating dial tone held up to his ear.

He rested his head against the wall conveniently placed near the phone's stand, fingers against his temple—his head was already on the verge of an unpleasant headache. It pulsed at the surface of his fingers rendering his usually clear, precise state of mind muddy. He couldn't recollect much of what had happened, or what **hadn't **happened. It had been the same for all of the servants, guards, and family members—he'd only questioned a few of them but their responses had all been vague and in nature, exactly the same.

For apparently no reason at all, each and every one of them had been knocked unconscious. Not even "knocked" unconscious, they had all fainted without any possible outside influence within the same hour.

That wasn't right either, Hatori thought.

It was remarkably like the effects of his own unique power—except without the loss of memory as with his situation. _Though perhaps…_ he stared blankly at his hands, already feeling stirrings of unease and guilt which accompanied any mention of or thoughts upon his gift (more like curse). He welcomed them; they served to remind of his humanity, or what little he had left of it.

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Though perhaps, he finished the thought, _I could have done the same._ Not that he ever would, bad enough he had to use power to protect the accursed Sohma family, but to willingly use it to satisfy his curiosity, the idea was monstrous.

He shook his head, forcing away the thought. Returning to a much more important and present matter, that of the head of the Sohma's disappearance.

And his own, puzzlingly blurred recollection.

- Flashback - 

"Yes?" He looked up from the folder he was sifting through, expecting to see a hesitant maid with the cup of tea he'd requested. He had asked during his brief excursion to the kitchen, specifically for chamomile to ease the ache in his eyes and his frazzled nerves, which were usual after meetings he had with Akito.

He started, meeting dark eyes, the dark eyes of an unnaturally calm, young boy. The boy, was little taller than Momiji, but that was where the resemblance ended. The boy was the antithesis of Momiji, black hair to Momiji's blonde, dark eyes—almost black to Momiji's hazel, but most startling of all was the dark, weighty countenance so unlike Momiji's brightness.

Hatori felt almost disturbed to see a child carrying an expression that was far too old for the boy's years. An expression he felt akin to.

Even Momiji, the boy Hatori felt was his son in all but blood, had never in his hurt and despair ever worn such a weary expression. At least, not ever where Hatori could see.

The thought bitterly reminded him of the mockery that he was. Gifted with the feelings of a father, for it could be nothing but a gift the affection he felt, and the almost physical lift in him, whatever his state. The protectiveness and pride he felt with Momiji was sometimes overwhelming and futile when he had all but destroyed the life Momiji could have had. Even amongst the difficulties of his family.

__

My hands took away his mother_ from him and he-he would so easily forgive _me. _Comfort_ me. Hatori would never forget what had happened after his exploit of his memory-eliminating powers. He'd been kneeling outside in the snow, feeling broken, as he usually did after using his powers, when abruptly he was embraced by small, chubby arms. Realizing the child hugging him was crying, and not only that, wearing wholly inadequate clothes in the cold, he had enveloped the trembling figure.

"It's okay," Momiji had whispered, voice quivering. "It's okay. Mama's not sick anymore. She won't be sad anymore. And Papa won't be sad because **she's **sad anymore."

__

But what about Momiji? The words had been on the tip of his tongue, but then Momiji had begun crying again, softly sobbing on Hatori's shoulder against his snow-drenched coat. At the time, Hatori had felt almost horrified thinking, rather illogically, that the coat would be drenched by a child's tears, that **he **would be drenched in a child's sadness.

It hadn't been… and that had cut all the more deeply.

Momiji had cried only a little more before stopping, harshly breathing into his shoulder, unspoken tears breaking in between his gasps for breath, with shudders that wracked the frail, tiny whole of Momiji's body.

Hatori had **felt **the vulnerability of Momiji, and had felt helpless in righting what he had already done, and what could not be undone. Awash with the sheer injustice of how both he and Momiji had been manipulated to assuage the fears and sadness of a broken mother and a father that loved his wife even more than his child, he'd felt protective. He'd wanted to protect the child in his arms from the injustice of his parents, the side effects of the Sohma's curse, the cruelty of the Sohma's head, and all the petty slights of the world.

It was ridiculous, Hatori had thought. _A grown man clutching at a young child as if he was his lifeline, and vice versa._

It was sad, almost, that either should have been driven to helplessly sharing each other's pain.

"You're different." The words of the dark-eyed boy had broken him from his reverie. The boy had slowly blinked, within the time it had taken for the boy's eyelashes to fall he had felt surprised, and the next moment, he was opening his eyes like so many others in the Main House.

****

- End Flashback -

When he'd awoken, he couldn't even remember what the boy was wearing, and some of the details of the boy's face were unclear in his mind. He felt a little surprised to how little trepidation he had felt from the boy, nothing to suggest that perhaps he was involved in Akito's disappearance. Or what would happen next.

Upon discreet questions to the steward who looked over the domestic matters of the Main Compound, he'd learned that there was no such boy in relation to any of the staff. Otherwise the steward would have known, he'd been told, frostily. And that was that.

The servants had been dispatched to see if the Main House had been burglarized and he, Hatori began walking towards the part of the compound that was known by all to be reserved to Akito and only a few select Sohma members. He'd expected to find a slumbering Akito, probably waking up from whatever sleep he, like all the others had been subjected to.

Except there had been no Akito.

He had exhausted his resources for exactly two days investigating the matter, telling no one of the disappearance. Hatori didn't want to cause a mass panic with the news.

Finally on the third day, he had given up and decided to speak to someone about it. And so, Shigure was the first to know.

Only he, Kureno, and Shigure now knew of Akito's disappearance. As well as the person who had kidnapped Akito.

Wearily, he sat at his desk, feeling far older and decrepit for his age. He was only his middle to late twenties after all. It had galled him a little that out of the two who had first known of Akito's disappearance, Kureno should be curiously, the one most unaffected by it.

When questioned, the Rooster had only said cryptically, "I know Akito's unhurt." With that comment, the Rooster had shuffled to the kitchen, to presumably be temporarily employed by the cook as a grocery shopper.

Hatori sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, yet again feeling old and growing vastly older by the second.

At least Hatsuharu, Momiji, and the rest of the cursed Sohmas hadn't gotten wind of the news… yet.

-

"Akito's gone." Stated by Hatori in a reasonable tone with unreasonable news. Only Hatori would be so calm, Shigure thought. _But he sounds tired, even more so than usual._ He felt, guiltily, a little amused to be receiving news of such a devastating nature by phone—and just when he wanted to escape his editor as well!

"What?" It couldn't be true. And if it was? Well… he sorted through his papers, finally finding a blank one. "I'll be at the Main House soon," he said, putting the phone down, already writing a note to Kyo, Yuki, and Tohru informing them that he'd be gone a few days to the Main House. With a smile he sketched the sigh of peace and in each third of it, with symbols representing each of the three members of his house. He added a bubble around the peace sign with little bubble trails leading up to it. For decorum, he scribbled a dog at the beginning of the trail for good measure.

No doubt Kyo and Yuki would understand his meaning and if they didn't, Tohru could probably explain it to them in greater detail. He set off at a jog; it would do him good to get a little exercise after staying cooped up inside his house writing up his next book. And the Main Compound wasn't too far away from his house either.

"Sohma Shigure."

He froze in mid jog. Only one person could say his name in that tone. No one he knew besides Tohru's friend, Hanajima Saki could say his name and simultaneously cause his skin to crawl and the hairs on him to rise. It was creepy how she did that.

Awkwardly, he molded his face into a friendly smile, which froze as soon as he got a good glimpse of her. Was it just him or was their a rather cold breeze all of a sudden? He was sure that normal people's hair didn't float in the air like tentacles, and surely her shadow was covering an abnormally large amount of space on the road. His own looked tiny compared to hers, like a mouse struck frozen near a gigantic snake.

"You are heading towards the Sohma House?"

How did she know that?

"It is the only building along this road."

That was true. "Ah."

"I hope the news you receive will be what you want to hear."

His face was making a good impersonation of a fish, he knew, but all the same - how did she do that? "How—" His voice trailed off. She had already passed by him, gliding down the road he had just been going up. Looking back, he noticed that her over-large shadow wasn't entirely a shadow, but a young boy. It had never occurred to him to think that Hanajima had a brother, because the boy everything about him and not only the physical was like her, he had to be her brother.

He checked off his inner list of characteristics on Hanajima: creepy presence, virtually unnoticeable until the very last moment, fading into shadows, the glide that made him wonder if perhaps vampires **were **real and whether Hanajima was descended from them, and finally the charged particles usually left in Hanajima's wake. Inwardly, he nodded, satisfied with the similarities, proving indeed the boy was Hanajima's blood-relative and therefore someone to be avoided at all costs.

Although, if he were to be honest, it wasn't just the skin-crawling sensation that made him want to avoid her and her relations, but how she seemed to be able to look through him. As if she knew all of his darkest secrets, including the Sohma curse. It was an unpleasant sensation to say the least.

Beginning to walk again - this time through the Main House gate, he thought, _Tohru has the strangest friends._ _For being such an outwardly normal girl, Tohru seems to attract people who are everything but normal. I, and all of the Sohma accursed are examples of that. _He pouted. _But why couldn't she have known some cute high school girl, in a _short _skirt?_ Hearing a crunching sound, he bent down to pick up the plain white envelope addressed to—the Sohmas. Probably a maid or butler had dropped it when they were checking the mail. He tucked it into his sleeve, still intent in his thoughts.

Although Tohru, herself fit the description very well, but she was off limits if only because whenever he came into a radius of one yard from her either Yuki or Kyo or both of his dear cousins appeared. Then, he would find himself on one side of the room and Tohru on the other. It was amazing how fast Yuki and Kyo could work when they worked together. Not that they would admit it.

He chuckled, as he stepped into Hatori's office. There was so much he had to update Hatori on! Aya and him had already placed bets on who Tohru would eventually choose, Aya was cheering for Yuki and Shigure was placing his bet on Kyo. However… with the stares their resident Cow had been throwing towards Kyo, he was thinking of withdrawing his bet and creating a whole a new possible match…

"What is that?" Hatori's voice cut his thought short and cut any possibility of any amusing thoughts as well.

Shigure started and looked down towards his sleeves, the envelope had fallen askew, hanging desperately along the edge of his sleeve, balancing in and out, in and out, and then… out. "It was outside in front of the entrance."

Hatori had already picked up the dropped letter and opened the envelope. He read the message on the paper inside. Silently, he handed it to Shigure.

Shigure read aloud the contents, "In a year and a day, Sohma Akito will be in your midst again. Do not try to find her. She is safe and sound, even better now without the shroud and responsibilities of your curse. She will, of course, be unharmed during her absence. We will not harm her in any way. Think of this as a pilgrimage. She will discover herself." Instead of a signature, there was a small imprint, probably from a woodblock, of a dark violet flower with teeth, stemming from a pot. It looked funny. Except it shouldn't be funny. With his admittedly, limited experience with kidnappers (he had never encountered **any** till now), he was surprised that their kidnappers would have such a funny signature. He should be worried, but faced with the reality of it, he didn't feel worried, or even afraid for Akito. Their kidnappers didn't seem a violent sort and had nothing to gain withholding Akito from them, they hadn't mentioned a ransom or revenge or any past slight in their message.

"What will we tell the others?" The others, as in the other accursed Sohma family members. Hatori's forehead was furrowed, just a little, signaling his faint worry. At least he wasn't panicked or angry, if anything, Hatori looked slightly wistful.

Then again, when was the last time Hatori had a vacation? He probably hadn't had one since he was oh, say, three. Shigure said, half-in jest, half-seriously, "He's on a rejuvenating pilgrimage for his mental health."

"Without me?" Dismay. A little wonder. And mixed in with that was a little guilty relief.

Hatori was swaying and he didn't look too god, Shigure observed, a bit peaky, but then Hatori had always looked a little peaky and a little pale ever since he became Akito's personal doctor. Gently, Shigure put a steadying hand on Hatori's arm, turning his back against a nearby wall and pushed him down until he was sitting on the floor. That done, Shigure knelt, ignoring the pop that came from his joints and sat beside Hatori, one knee up for balance, daringly leaning against him, cheek cradled in the crook of Hatori's neck. He had sensed as soon as he'd glimpsed Hatori, how tired he was, by the slightest shift in his breathing - a little faster than usual. But that was soon remedied, he could easily tell, now that his ear was next if not on Hatori's pulse. It had been a long time since they'd sat like this, relaxed, next to each other. They'd done this when they kids, with Aya on the other side of Hatori, but these times had become few and far in between the time they'd spent growing up.

Aya, even more, who always flamboyant and painfully obvious, had lived up to his form as a snake and in his flamboyance had flounced out of importance in the Main House and therefore snaked out of the grasp of Akito. It was sneaky how he'd done it, being so obvious in his intentions that no one had even blinked when his visits to the Main House became all but non-existent. If anything, most people were relieved. Ignoring or perhaps oblivious to how Aya had not only set up a clothes shop… with rather… interesting intentions but had set it up on grounds independent of the Sohma finances, his home/or rather apartment above the shop in likewise circumstances.

Shigure envied him the ease that he had though perhaps Aya envied the ease that **he** had living outside the Main House, but still connected enough to it to be able to house Yuki and Kyo in one place. It was the latter part that he knew Aya envied.

He wanted to slide his hand into Hatori's. He didn't. He wanted to but he knew Hatori wouldn't welcome his advances or would more likely, pass it off as pity. It wasn't pity. He knew that, **Aya** (even **Aya**) knew that, but Hatori was oblivious to the subtle meanings behind Shigure's seemingly foolish actions.

Hatori finally spoke, voice soft. "Do you think they would believe us?

"They would believe you." Hatori was the paradigm of truth out of all of them, though Hatori was unaware of how much respect he commanded not only among the accursed Sohmas, but all of the Sohmas.

"Akito is on a rejuvenating pilgrimage for his health."

"I believe you already." And he did. "Hatori… you're long over-due for a vacation, not only from your usual work, but…" He waved a hand about the office, meaning the Main House. "All of this."

"There was that time out on the lake."

"That wasn't a vacation," Shigure murmured, amused. "That a respite for proper mourning. If I remember correctly we were looking over pictures of the woman you love marrying a man that was not you."

"The woman I loved," Hatori corrected.

Shigure's heart skipped a beat. "Already fallen out of love so quickly? And I always thought you were the silent, stoic, forever-loving type."

"There was never a chance of happiness for her and I."

__

What about you and me Shigure didn't say the words out loud. "So… vacation?"

"Maybe. A few days."

"Where?"

"The lake." Hatori let out a little air from his mouth. "And maybe, who knows?"

"My house." He didn't just say that, did he? "With Aya too," he added, warming up to the idea after the little shock for his own audacity.

"Maybe."

That was a good enough answer, Shigure decided, sliding his hand near Hatori's to lightly place his fingertips on Hatori's wrist. And **this **was good enough for him.

-

"Do you think they'll try to find Akito?" Megumi asked.

"No." She didn't elaborate, didn't need to with Megumi.

Megumi sighed. "Ah."

She left him at the foot of the stairs, already anticipating some quiet in her room. She stepped over the threshold.

"Who are you?" The words were not rudely or even harshly spoken, but curiously.

"A distant relative of yours." Every human being, plant, and animal were distantly related to each other. "I am Hanajima Saki."

"Saki… is this your room?"

"Our room." Now.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Yes."

"I don't." Akito didn't seem too disturbed by that, Saki noticed. "I opened your blinds." Almost as an afterthought, "I opened our blinds. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't." Saki wondered idly, even if she had minded, would Akito have still opened the blinds. She looked at the calm, eerily calm and content girl in her bird who was staring out the window, lips tilted in a smile. Perhaps. Perhaps not.

She sat on the bed, easing off her skirt and shirt in lieu of a grayish-violet nightgown. Akito automatically scooted towards the wall to give more room to her as she slipped under the covers.

"Are you going to take a nap?"

"Yes."

"Will you tell me who I am?"

"Yes."

Akito towered over her, sitting while Saki lay, head on her pillow. "Now?" Patiently.

"Yes. Your name is Sohma Akito."

"Sohma Akito…" Akito said, tasting the words as if they were a surprise. "Who am I?" No one answered. She looked down, as a hand curled on the bottom of her pajama shirt. Her eyes took in the even breaths, the braid sliding down off the pillow, and the feminine, fragilely young face. She leaned down to catch the braid, sliding the band off and deftly parting the three strands, gazing at the silky wavy threads in her hand. She let them go, watching spread them spread out into an arc across her… their pillow, and slid down under the covers, turning on her side towards the other occupant in the bed. She closed her eyes, though she neither felt tired nor sleepy, and eventually… slept.

-

Elsewhere… Yuki and Kyo had returned, escorting Tohru from her part-time job. They weren't too worried when they returned home and found no living signs of Shigure except for a little note. They were however disturbed by the symbols he'd used for them.

"A block of swiss cheese?" Yuki said, annoyed. _He knows I hate those stupid mouse puns, I don't like cheese_ that_ much._

"A leek?" Kyo said in a lackluster voice. Inwardly, he was seething. _Damn dog! Knows I hate leeks and uses as a symbol for me. Damn dog!_

"Cheese, that must be Yuki," murmured Tohru. "Leek is Kyo and, is that a…?"

Yuki and Kyo blinked and simultaneously said, "It's a sword." It wasn't just a sword, it was a sword in a stone, with shining bits of light drawn around it.

Shigure's humor was too… too weird.

A/N: Review. Tell me what you think of this chapter. I'm trying to let the story flow… but who knows? Maybe it's coming out choppy. Instructive criticism wanted, thank you.

Greengirlblue – Thank you! The line that you liked, that was probably one of my favorite, one of the ones I enjoyed writing – really enjoyed writing. I hope you like this chapter and if you don't, give some criticism

Karasu Luxa Yoru – You'll find out later why Saki kidnaps Akito, and the thing with Momiji and Arisa I explained in the first chapter – I added a little note if you want to check it out explaining why. Basically it was a play on a chapter in volume 9 of Fruits Basket.

Pebbled Sky – I agree, a lot of stories have interesting ideas but when put into action are written messily to the point that they aren't even worth a read. Thanks for the input, I hope you continue reading this.


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